Co-Rec, ASA
 

Female batter.

First pitch was a ball, second a swinging strike.

When the ball is returned to the pitcher, the batter asks if the correct ball is in play. It was discovered that the pitcher delivered the 12" to the female batter.

What happens now?

Offensive coach has two options: start the count over with the correct 11" ball or simply change out for the 11" and keep the 1-1 count.

I believe...
 

that to be incorrect.

The offensive coach gets to choose either the result of the play or have the last batte bat over and assume the count prior to the discovery of the incorrect ball. Since there was no "play" the way I read this would mean the batter assumes the count and the correct ball is put in play.

The umpire slaps himself upside the head.

The umpire enforces ASA Rule 7-2-E and its EFFECT.

Well, yeah, but first he slaps himself upside the head.

In our area, there are zero, zilch, none, nada, local leagues willing to play with that rule (different balls for male and female players in Coed). Our local leagues, including those that register and (mostly) otherwise play ASA rules, all use just the 12" ball, with an outfield arc 200' from homeplate which outfielders must stay behind until the ball is hit. The arc keeps the women able to make legitimate hits, while all players gain the positive advantage of having the same (size) ball in every play.

The other non-ASA rule overwhelmingly adopted is that every batter starts with a 1-1 count, and gets one two-strike courtesy foul. This has increased the action, while most batters won't wait and take the first strike.

Just wondering, do any of you that call ASA slowpitch use the championship rules in league play, or primarily these adaptations?

I don't understand that last part of the EFFECT at all. When is "prior to the wrong ball being discovered"? Presumably, it is brought to the umpire's attention as soon as it is "discovered" - that is, bringing it to the umpire's attention is what "discovered" means, right? Are they trying to say the manager can choose to remove the result of the most recent pitch? So, in the sitch offered, correct ball is put into play and the count is 1-0?

Does a pitch meet the definition of a play?

I tried to get this rule changed a few years ago and the gentleman speaking up in the committee damn near had his head handed to him by the women in the meeting.

The arc is ridiculous. These women have been using a 12" from the time they got past 10U and now they move over to SP and need to use an 11" ball? International Co-Rec uses only one ball (12") and no gimmicks like an arc in the outfield. The women I've seen play do pretty well especially with the bats available today.

The 1-1 count is something which should have been changed by now. The courtesy foul is a joke. Why bother changing the number if you are going to allow a free foul with 2 strikes? There hasn't been an effort to change SP to a 3-2 count for a couple of years. Maybe it will change in OKC. Every local SP league in this area start with a 1-1 count.

Two SP leagues I work:

League A:

• Alternates 11" & 12" balls which works fine when the pitcher doesn't have his head shoved you know where. Females have option to hit 12" ball.
• Outfield arc.
• 4-3 Count (ie start with 0-0)
• Pitcher & catcher alternating genders. Half & half in the infield and outfield, with alternating genders in the outfield.
• A male that receives a BB is sent to 2B and when there are two outs, the following female batter has the option to automatically walk.
• Male player may not "takeaway" an obvious fly ball from a female player. The penalty for doing so is a one base award in the infield and a two base award in the outfield.
• A male player cannot takeaway an obvious play at the plate from a female catcher. The penalty is the runner being played upon being awarded home.

League B:

• Do not alternate balls. Everyone hits a 12" ball.
• Outfield arc.
• 4-3 Count.
• No formation rules except for alternating genders at pitcher and catcher.
• Same takeaway rules as above.
• Same walk rule as above however the following female batter always has the option of taking an automatic walk.

Both leagues use the plate and a mat for the strike zone. Both leagues also use a commit line and home plate line for plays at the plate.

My initial thought was along those lines, but if you look at the definition in the ASA book, it explicitly states that a pitch is not a play.